Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-02-05

7 "A WOrh WHICH OCCupltu o. years vi LIS
| liie-was not allowed to appear Only that
part of it treating of San Domingo was
ever published. His account of the con-
quest of Mexico was wholly suppressed by
| order of the Inquisition, and not without
reason, for to have proved conqIdstadores
gang of unprincipled buccaneers would
have spoiled the so-called Holy War"
| Long after the
| sUBJUGATIoN OF MoNTEZUMA's EMPIRE
! (Which did not extend much beyond the
valley of Mexico), the Viceroys employed
the Aztecs to assist in subduing the neigh
| boring kingdoms. And to this day nearly
all the priyates in the Mexican army are
| Indians-over 10000 of them. As a rule
these SoldddoreS become so demoralized by
camp and barrack life that when dis
] charged from the service they are unwill-
| ing to work at all. So their wives and
daughters support the lazy ex-warriors in
comparative comfort by cultivating small
patches of ground and selling the produce.
Among this class of women are the veg
| etable vendors -" FdndmerdS," who are
familiar figures in the streets of every Mex
! lean city They wander about crying their
wares for sale, carrying huge hampers of
vegetables, fruit or poultry upon their
| heads-always with a mahogany colored
| baby strapped to their backs and generally
| followed by several others Of assorted sizes.
They always stop at church, truck and all,
to say prayer or two generally on the
way to market, to in suresuccessful sales),
and not infrequently the poultry escapes
from the hampers and goes cackling about
| the church till pursued and recaptured.
WOMEN SOLDIERS.
Aside from the class of females COM
monty known as camp-followers, who
share the fortunes OF war without leave or
license, the Mexican Government permits
limited number of respectable married
women to accompany each regiment, to
cook and wash for the soldiers. These
women are regularly enrolled as sOiddderas
female soldiers), and admirably they bear
the fatigues of camp life and long marches.
That they are not bad warriors in their
way the following story is proof:
During Maximilian's regime, when Euro
pean forces were in possession of the Mexi-
can Capital and President Juarez, with his
Cabinet and guard, were trying to make
their way TO Paso del Norte he and his
counsellors had halted one day in way
side grove to hold an important conference.
JuareZ was seated on rock, with the states
men grouped around him, and the military
escort on guard. The old poet, Guillormo
Prieto, who was member of the Cabinet,
bad Just arisen to state his opinion on a
momentous subject when the solemn con-
clave was interrupted by shouts of laughter,
mingled with oaths and threats in French
and Spanish.
All sprang to their feet, and the Captain
of the guard, followed by his men, rushed
to the quarter whence the sounds proceeded.
Presently they returned bringing four Soda
der0S, who bore upon their shoulders a
Frenchman whom they had captured. Be-
lieving him to be spy, they first enticed
him with cunning fiattery, and then, haAily
BINDING HIM HAND AND FOOT
With their rebosas, had carried him two or
three miles despite his kicks and struggles.
When the women deposited their prisoner
at the feet of the President the elder SOL
dadera excused herself for the failure of
her proposed foraging expedition, saying
"Senor Presidente, we thought this French
man might have papers which your Excel
lency would prize more than fat turkey or
young pig"
True enough, on the person of,the spy
was found a communication from the Com
mander-in- Chief of the Imperial forces to
the commander of a neighboring garrison,
| stating that Juarez and his Cabinet would
probably pass in that vicinity and accom-
panying this intelligence was the formal
order: Shoot every Mexican rebel taken
in arms against the Imperial Government
of his Majesty, Macmillan First
About fifty miles from the City of Mex
leo there il an Indian pueblo governed by
Patrarchal Council of Twelve" half of
whom are women, called Z" the Venerable
Mothers" This patriarchal dignity is con-
| ferred only on those who have raised large
I families, and have proved themselves de-
voted mothers and kind neighbors. When
young Indian proposes to go out into the
world, the Patriarchal Council is called
and the contemplated exodus fully dis
cussed. If it is decided to let him go, the
youth is solemnlv advised by the Vener-
able Mothers in all things for his good,
and is especially charged to do credit tG
| his pueblo by being honest, truthful and
industrious. Whenever the exile commu-
nicates with his people, it is said that his
messages to the dear old fathers and
mothers" are as to his own kindred.
BEAUTIFUL CUSTOM
Prevails in this Indian village, viz, that
every eighth day is set aside for all the men
and boys to leave their personal avocations
and labor from dawn till sunset for the
| blind and helpless, the widows and the
scarcely an Indian in Mexico who does not
possess some homely virtues worthy of imi
! tation.
| In point of amiability, warmth of man
ners and atfectionate temperament, no
women in the world can compare with
| those of Mexico. Beside them all others
appear cold and stiff, and whatever adj
vantages these gentle creatures may derive
| from their intercourse with foreigners, it is
| to be hoped they may never lose the graceful
| cordiality which forms so equable contrast
to American and English frigidity. In
the eyes of strangers this, together with
their sweet voices, is an unfailing charm.
In fact, aforeigner-especially if he be an
American or an Englishman, accustomed
to the GOODNESS of his fair countrywomen-
need live here no longer than to acquire
some smattering of the language and be-
come accustomed TO the peculiar style of
Mexican beauty, to find these senoritas
perfectly irresistible. And they, in turn.
are always fascinated by the tall, blonde
and active Anglo-Saxon who is so great
contrast to their own countrymen.
| But when a foreigner marries Mexican
| woman he ought invariably to settle here,
for it is very rare that his wife can live any
| where else They miss the beautiful eli
mate, and pine for that universal cordiality
and warmth of manner of which they
have been surrounded in Mexico: they
|
etiquette in habits, toilettes, etc. In other
i countries they find themselves surrounded
| by women so differently educated as to be
doubly strangers. A very few instances
have been recorded of Mexican girls who
have been
| MARRIED AND TAKEN TO EUROPE
When very young, who have acquired
| European ways of thinking, and even pre-
fer the land of adoption to their own; but
these cases are so rare as scarcely to form
exceptions. They are true patriots. for the
visible horizon bounds all their wishes In
France, Spain or Italy, they might manage
to exist; but in the United States or Eng
land they would be as much out of their
natural element as fish out of water. An
icy climate, not colder than the manners
OF the people, harsh language almos, i'm
possible to acquire, religion which they
consider heretical, etiquette carried to ex-
cess and iusupportable order in the toilet
= rebosoS unknown, cigaritos considered
barbarous-they feel like exiles from Para
disc, and live only in hopes of return.
NJ Il u. i